Tuesday, October 09, 2007

In Wes Anderson's movies, white people often start relationships with people of color after a failed relationship with another white person. Apparently this is deeply offensive. After all, said one commenter:

"Why must women of color be a second choice for white men?"

If it Anderson's white men were initially in relationships with women of color but somehow always ended up with white chicks in the end, wouldn't that be offensive also? "Why must women of color be pushed aside for white women?" etc.

There's also criticism of Anderson's use of Kumar Pallana, the actor who plays Pagoda and Mr. Littlejeans. I would think that his limited roles and characterizations are a function of the fact that he is the owner of a coffee shop where Anderson used to hang out, not a trained actor. Plenty of directors put friends and family in their movies. Anderson has the good judgment to not ask more from his friend than Pallana can provide as an actor (take note, David Mamet!). For this he is to be condemned? Pah.

P.S. The pirates in The Life Aquatic are not Filipino because "Anderson is saying, 'The pirates are Filipino! How hilarious is that?'" They are Filipino because right now there are actual Filipino pirates. Swashbuckling white guys a la Blackbeard? Not so much these days.

In Wes Anderson's movies, white people often start relationships with people of color after a failed relationship with another white person. Apparently this is deeply offensive. After all, said one commenter:

"Why must women of color be a second choice for white men?"

If it Anderson's white men were initially in relationships with women of color but somehow always ended up with white chicks in the end, wouldn't that be offensive also? "Why must women of color be pushed aside for white women?" etc.

There's also criticism of Anderson's use of Kumar Pallana, the actor who plays Pagoda and Mr. Littlejeans. I would think that his limited roles and characterizations are a function of the fact that he is the owner of a coffee shop where Anderson used to hang out, not a trained actor. Plenty of directors put friends and family in their movies. Anderson has the good judgment to not ask more from his friend than Pallana can provide as an actor (take note, David Mamet!). For this he is to be condemned? Pah.

P.S. The pirates in The Life Aquatic are not Filipino because "Anderson is saying, 'The pirates are Filipino! How hilarious is that?'" They are Filipino because right now there are actual Filipino pirates. Swashbuckling white guys a la Blackbeard? Not so much these days.